My video podcast was mentioned on several other video podcasts, and has gotten over 100 views on all three episodes now.

The CPAAG Action Auction for Japan started today (well, besides the flash auctions that went on over the week- this was the real, all day long start of the auction, which goes until Sunday at 10:30 EDT) and my offering, a custom shawl in any color and pattern, sold for $175! I had the winner donate the money to Doctors Without Borders, and she’s going to get back to me later this weekend or next week about her choice of pattern and yarn.

The Nerd Wars challenges were indeed posted and are FRIGGIN’ HARD. I’m not sure what I’ll do for most of them, but at least a couple will be pretty easy- one is to do something to help Japan (yeah, got that in the bag, see above) and one is to make something relating to pi, which is convenient because I just started a pair of Froot Loop socks. No photos yet- I’m tired and need to go to bed- but I’ll post some later this week. At the rate these socks are going, I’ll probably even show a finished sock later this week!

So, when we got married, among the very generous gifts we were given were three gift cards to REI. We kept intending to use them to buy camping supplies and then go camping (fact is we, two outdoorsy type people, have been dating/married for six years and haven’t ONCE been camping together). Because we didn’t live near an REI, it kept getting put off and put off and put off… until today.

We FINALLY brought those gift cards to REI and spent them! We ended up getting two pairs of swimming goggles (we both enjoy diving but not so much getting chlorine in our eyes), two sets of disc golfing discs, and a sleeping bag for Cory. Funny thing is… it’s a child sized sleeping bag. But just look how perfectly it fits.

True, his feet are right down to the very bottom, but he swears it’s comfortable and that he could sleep in it, so who am I to argue?

Here are our discs.

And here is a cat.

And more yarn.

I’m so torn on this yarn. Part of me thinks it’s pretty, and part of me is going “NO NO NO it’s all wrong, you wanted dark blues and ocean colors and you got SKY colors!” So I don’t know if I should keep going and overdye, pick a new knitting pattern to use with it, or just spin something else. Opinions?

The Loopy Ewe apparently could’ve written a book by that title. Seriously.

First of all, not only did I order the yarn on Friday evening and it came today (remembering, of course, that Monday was a postal holiday), but they got my order exactly right.

(Lorna’s Laces in “violet”, or as I call it “Rockies purple” since they’re for my dad’s Colorado Rockies socks)

But that wasn’t all, oh no. They also sent a set of needle inventory cards AND two samples of other sock yarns, AND a handwritten note on the back of the receipt!

Very, very cool. I will most certainly be ordering from them again.

I spent my evening at Brits Pub with Kelly, which was very fun. I intended to knit, but I ended up ordering wings, so my hands were all gross, and we also were sitting in a rather dark corner so I didn’t end up taking my knitting out at all. That’s fine, though; I’m still right on schedule to get this done before Owen’s birthday.

Many a mild-mannered knitter has approached such knitting as this, thinking all was calm. And on the surface, it is so.

But what lies beneath paves the way to madness. What lies beneath… is…

YARNTHULU.

Feel free to run screaming. I know I want to, and I’m the one that’s gotta weave those suckers in. Madness? This ain’t the half of it. Wait til I make the sleeves.

Also, I bought shoes today. I’ve been looking for some cute, relatively inexpensive, comfy for walking, work appropriate shoes that won’t either be too short in the instep (fat feet, I haz) or too hard in the back, cutting up my poor ankles. I asked in CPAAGG today and got a lot of helpful links, including to these!

Photo courtesy of Crocs. Yeah, I know, Crocs! I didn’t know they made anything cute either! But there ya go, learn something new every day. Plus, they were only $35 including shipping. WIN!

I really haven’t been knitting (or spinning) at all the last couple of days… first because I’ve been busy, second because I’ve been sick, and third because I really can’t get the two skeins of koigu I have set aside for Endpaper Mitts out of my head. And I can’t start knitting those until August starts- because of the mitt-a-long we’ve decided to have in the Knitscape group on Ravelry.

So, you see why I haven’t had much to talk about on here. I keep meaning to take photos of the socks I started, but since those got ripped off the needles by an errant dog (my own fault, I left ’em on the floor), I need to get them back on track before I can show off. I should also share some photos of the things I bought this past weekend at both Detta’s and the Fiber Studio, but much of that is gifts.

I also bought some yarn, as a friend of mine had a monetary emergency and was selling some very good yarn for very good prices. I got two skeins of brown malabrigo lace and a skein of pink/burgundy/brown kauni. Not sure what I’ll do with either, but they are beautiful.

I’ll try to get those socks on track by the end of tonight, and share photos for you guys.

After a couple of hours of struggle, a yarn store visit, a stop at my old workplace, and a long ride home, I have a complete spinning wheel once again. Now with awesome woodburning and semi-awesome stain job!

Yes, you’re seeing that right- Nicole altered the original kiwi on the treadle to closer resemble my wheel’s namesake, Peter the kiwi bird.

The wheel itself is also Peter-bedecked, this time tieless and dancing.

I’m also in the process of constructing a custom tensioned lazy kate, so I asked Nicole to woodburn that for me too. Here’s what she came up with.

So amazing. I don’t know how she does it. I owe her big time.

(Before you all ask, I mostly got yarn for Christmas presents at the yarn store, so I can’t show off… but I got this for me:

Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in “Rosewood”. So gorgeous. It looks just like raspberry chocolate.)

No, I didn’t lie about today being full or interesting… just that this would be a long entry to make up for yesterday’s. I’ll list everything I did today, and I think you’ll understand why I just need to go to bed and post photos and details tomorrow.

I got up at 8:30 with a headache, ate breakfast, showered, and took some medicine.

A few hours later Janelle picked me up and we went to lunch and then to my cousin’s garage sale in Anoka, where I picked up some books, shelves, and other random things (including 4 stuffed peeps, for a swap I’m in later this year).

After that, we went to the Como Zoo and Conservatory, and saw the Japanese Gardens. I have photos from this that will be up on Flickr sometime Sunday.

We got done there around 2:30 and went to Jamba Juice for a drink, then stopped by Lake Johanna to sit in the sun for a while, but it was pretty cold and windy so we didn’t stay long.

Then we went to the mall, where I got some shirts, stickers, and sunglasses. Janelle also got some shirts.

At 6 we met my mom and Cory for dinner at Khan’s Mongolian Barbecue, and ate tons of food.

After that we went back to my place and watched The Emperor’s New Groove.

Around 9 we went to Autumn and Tiffany’s place for a Cosmic Wii Bowling tournament. It was “sponsored” by Sierra Mist, meaning they got a group photo of us with their product and gave out cases of the new grapefruit version.

So, you see, I’m very very very tired right now and I think I need to go to bed rather than filling in more details. I’ll post some photos tomorrow, promise.